4 Ways Your Localization Team can Approach Quality Control﻿

April 22, 2019 Christine Benton

Because
technology is enabling the world to become more interconnected, companies are
finding the prospect of international expansion more appealing than ever. In
fact, there is an emerging mindset that a company can be born global and reach out to international markets from day one.
Although eager new businesses might be tempted to jump feet first into the
worldwide market, it’s wise to take things slowly and concentrate on maintaining quality in a localization marketing campaign.

The Localization Team

A company
will often set up a localization team to focus on international markets.
Localization plays an essential role in the pursuit of new global business, but
effective implementation can be a daunting task. The idea of quality control
for localization may be more of an afterthought when things have gone wrong
rather than a foundational step in the process. Here are four ways that a
localization team can improve its approach to quality control.

1. Context • Context • Context

In order to improve the quality of your translations,
you need to pay a great deal of attention to context. The translation of any word from English into a
foreign language can vary greatly. The way the word is translated can depend on
several factors – subject matter, gender, case, and whether the source word is
a noun, verb, or adjective. Let’s take as an example the word turn unrelated to any context. Turn might mean any one of the
following:

A turn of the page.

A player’s turn in a card came.

The turn of the year or the
century.

A turn of events.

Taking a turn for the worst.

A turn up for the books.

It is highly unlikely that a single translation of the word turn in another language will cover all of the above contexts. So, paying no attention to context greatly increases the chances of translation errors occuring. Localize has

2. Do Remote Testing

Before launching your product or service in a new
country, you need to run a test to find out how your prospective customers will
perceive your content. Technology in this area is evolving. Now it is possible
to conduct remote testing from actual devices in the targeted country and get
back measurable data even if you don’t yet have a presence there. The ability
to gain perspective on what your prospective customers are seeing and reading
is an essential element in quality control.

3. Conduct Frequent Content Reviews

It is generally quite difficult to get your translated and localized content one hundred percent correct on the first attempt. Also, over time your company branding and terminology may change, which means your content will need to be updated to reflect such changes. So, frequent reviewing of your translated content will pick up errors and ensure that it stays current. A TMS like Localize can helpful for this process as we offer an “In-Progress Workflow” that allows for a quality check before translations go live on your site or app.

4. Choose a Dependable Language Service Provider (LSP)

An LSP can handle your translation and localization
tasks. One benefit of working with an LSP is that a business can reduce its
fixed overhead costs related to the hiring of in-house localization specialists
in a variety of different languages. A large LSP will offer scale and a track
record, but a smaller LSP might provide a more personal touch and greater
attention to detail.

Concluding Thoughts

Quality
control for your localization efforts is not that different from quality
control for other industries. Just as a vehicle manufacturer would have quality
metrics and methods in place before releasing a finished automobile, no
localized content should be published without first undergoing a proper quality
review. Just as a faulty car might lead to recalls, additional manufacturing
costs, declining sales, and lawsuits, errors in localization can lead to poor
brand image and loss of sales. And, errors in instructional content could
result in improper product usage with serious consequences for your business.
These blunders can be avoided by making your quality control more robust.

Localize
is a Quality Translation Management System (TMS)

What any aspiring global company needs is an effective translation and localization strategy. At Localize, we aim to provide your company with the highest quality Translation Management System. We work with LSPs that adhere to the highest translation standards. Contact us to learn more about how Localize can work with your localization team and assist you in your quality control efforts.